The invention relates to devices for effectuating safe removal of hazardous liquids from industrial work stations, and more particularly to a device and method for safely transferring toxic liquids from a basin or container into a 55 gallon industrial waste barrel and moving the barrel to a dock for loading onto a vehicle.
In various industries, such as the semiconductor industry, large amounts of toxic liquid waste material are produced. Toxic liquid waste materials include various dangerous acids, etchants, solvents, and the like. The problem of disposing of such waste liquid without spillage or splashing and resulting injury to employees presents a serious problem. In the past, portable pumping devices have been used to transfer such waste materials from workstation sinks, basins, etc. into five gallon containers or the like. The contents of such containers then have been poured by employees into conventional 55 gallon waste barrels, using funnels. The waste barrels then are shipped to suitable waste disposal sites. The 55 gallon waste barrels usually have a threaded two inch diameter opening on top, into which a threaded cap or plug is tightly installed to prevent spillage after the waste barrel is filled. Injury or damage to workers and property occasionally occurs due to spillage during transfer of liquid waste material from the utilization site to the five gallon containers and spillage, splashing, and overfilling during transfer into the 55 gallon waste barrels. Injury or damage also occasionally result from accidental dropping of the five gallon containers.
Thus, there is a presently unmet need for a reasonably inexpensive, practical, safe means for transferring toxic liquid waste material into conventional 55 gallon waste barrels or the like.